Driving to Yellowstone last month, a moose stood in the middle of the road east of Cooke City in a place where I’ve never seen one before. I tried to ignore the tingling feeling that rushed through my whole body as I watched him cross the road in front of the truck and dart into the woods. I couldn’t help but think that it might just be a good day in the park.
Rodeo and I try to visit Yellowstone every year because we live an hour’s drive from the east gate. We usually wait until fall for the cooler temperatures and thinned out crowds. This year, we changed it up. We entered through the northeast gate by way of Chief Joseph Highway, a spectacular approach that winds through the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains. I find the Lamar Valley the most beautiful landscape in the park, so I prefer to go there first. The bison are spread out across the vast landscape as if posing for a painting, while eagles soar overhead. Numerous streams cut through the valley, providing plenty of fresh water for its inhabitants.
Stopping for breakfast, Rodeo popped up the camper, while I pulled out the lawn chairs and blankets. We ate our potato omelet with psyllium bread, and drank steaming black tea while we admired the emerald-colored valley. I spied an eagle’s nest at the top of a dead tree thanks to a bird watcher who told me where to look. Four bison calves were curled up in a half circle while two adults supervised them, reminding me of nursery school. The bison here are a pure breed, descendants of the original herd that lived in western America when homesteaders first arrived. They are the largest, most cantankerous mammals in the park, so it’s best to steer clear of them or risk getting gored.
After eating, we drove up to a cluster of photographers who were standing by the side of the road just a few miles west. I have learned to approach the visitors in the park as a technique for seeing more animals. Rodeo pulled over so I could find out what they were looking at. A mother coyote had tucked her six kits near large granite boulders just uphill from the road. The pups were playing on a bluff in the sun to the delight of spectators. This clever mother had chosen a public place to raise her kits to keep them safe from wolves and other predators. It reminded me of the mama grizzlies in the park who are known to raise their cubs near the road system because male grizzlies won’t go there.
After viewing my first and only coyote pup, an adorable fur ball, we headed north toward Mammoth, where we came upon several black bears. The first was a mating pair, black and cinnamon, eating their meal together. And around the bend, a second set of black bears grazed by the road, this time a blond and black one. The bears were ravenous after months in hibernation.
In the middle of summer, Yellowstone can get hot and the animals tend to bed down in the dirt or under trees to keep cool, so it’s harder to see them during the day. In May, the temperature was a comfortable fifty degrees, so all the animals we viewed seemed happy to be out and about. The park wasn’t a crowded mess and the wildlife seemed more relaxed because of it.
Mammoth has a great visitor’s center and a pretty decent gift shop and concession stand. We stopped for a cup of coffee then took a short excursion to view a petrified tree, but found the badger near the parking area far more interesting. He emerged from his den about twenty yards from our truck. Badgers have warrior-like stripes on their face and sharp teeth. They are stocky with short legs like a wiener dog, only they are twice as big, three times as heavy and fierce fighters. The badger trotted down the trail, swaying from side to side, no doubt on a hunt.
In the afternoon, we hiked from Inspiration Point to the Lower Brink of Yellowstone Falls, about four miles round trip along the rim of the canyon. Only a few people shared the trail with us. At an overlook across from Artist Point, we ate some snacks before heading toward Fishing Bridge.
On our way home, we spied two more bears, grizzlies this time, eating their lunch by the mouthfuls. The pair looked like siblings. They were about the same size and color, and seemed comfortable standing close to each other. We never did see a wolf or a bull elk, but a dozen bighorn sheep were tucked on a hillside just beyond a snow packed Sylvan Lake and we felt the instant satisfaction of a day well spent.
What a spectacular day trip! Seeing all of these beautiful animals in their environment without the crowds makes for a perfect day. 🫶
I look forward to reading and seeing pics of your travel adventures. . .They embrace your spirit and love of life ❤️